Twilight films 'boost fantasy sales'

Sales of fantasy novels are booming because of the success of the Twilight films, new research has claimed.

A study by market analyst Mintel found that sales of fantasy and sci-fi novels have grown by nearly 20 per cent over the past five years, with the adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's vampire books thought to be the driving factor, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The research discovered that one-third of teenagers enjoy reading the genres, with one in ten deciding to pick up a book after seeing its film or television adaptation.

Pat Neviani-Aston, senior leisure analyst at Mintel, said the study demonstrates the link between literature, cinema and television, adding that series such as Twilight are important in encouraging young people to read.

'Different media feed off each other and - while books provide the inspiration for many or most films - overall book sales also benefit greatly from the relationship, even if few achieve the levels reached by the Harry Potter series,' she told the newspaper.